GE PTC22 refrigerator - Defrost drain freezes, drain heater identification and repair

[Curiousity]

Model Number

PTC22

Brand

GE

Age

More than 10 years

Hello.
Have a GE PTC22 refrigerator in which the defrost melt-water drainline (or maybe it's a drain-trough) freezes closed in a few weeks. This is a top freezer, middle evaporator unit with simple defrost timer control. Drainline can be cleared with hot water. Once cleared, water seems to run quickly down some completely hidden pathway to the drain bucket near the condenser fan. Once cleared, I can run a wire about 12inches beyond evaporator defrost drainpan hole, then hit what I'm guessing is a tight bend or elbow. I found the mini-manual and noticed there is something called a defrost "drain heater," 2750ohms, with 3 wires running to it (see attached scan). I'm now assuming the defrost drain heater is not functioning, leading to the inevitable freezing of the meltwater in the drain-trough.

My problem is, I don't know what a defrost drain heater looks like, nor where is its electrical connector. I don't see anything called a defrost drain heater in the cabinet diagram of appliancepartspros.com to help identify it. Attached is a photo inside the freezer; where is the drain heater? The evaporator drain pan maybe covering up the defrost drain heater, but I'm thinking I can't move the evaporator without risking damaging the evaporator copper plumbing. Any suggestions???

Thanks!

 

[Jake]

In the parts diagram, all I see is #1048 Strap Evaporator Heater, but its No Longer Available.

 

[Curiousity]

Hi Jake,
Yeah, the mini-manual refers to a drain heater (circled in red in mini-manual attachment), in addition to the evaporator heater #1048 + #618(GE exploded view). I'm looking for the drain heater...kinda makes sense with the evaporator coils sandwiched between the freezer compartment and fresh-food compartment, that the drain might freeze-up.

 

[Jake]

The only other heater I see is the defrost heater #618 Heater & Bracket Defrost.

I don't see a drain heater anywhere, sorry.

 

[Curiousity]

I don't see a drain heater anywhere, sorry.

Hi Jake,
I'm guessing the drain heater and connectors are hidden under the drip pan for the evaporator coils(GE diagram #726). Can you tell me if its OK to move the evaporator coils a little, without cracking a joint in the copper?

Or maybe drain would be visible after removing the fresh-food compartment liner, underneath the evaporator coil? Liner looks to be one huge piece of plastic, dont find it in the parts diagram either.

 

[Jake]

I'm guessing the drain heater and connectors are hidden under the drip pan for the evaporator coils(GE diagram #726).

Yes, that looks like it.

Can you tell me if its OK to move the evaporator coils a little, without cracking a joint in the copper?

Yes, but just be careful and bend your evaporator coil up slowly.

Or maybe drain would be visible after removing the fresh-food compartment liner, underneath the evaporator coil? Liner looks to be one huge piece of plastic, dont find it in the parts diagram either.

Its been over 20 years since I did one of these jobs and I can't remember, sorry. Usually the drain hole is underneath the evaporator coil on all models.

 

[Curiousity]

Its been over 20 years since I did one of these jobs and I can't remember, sorry. Usually the drain hole is underneath the evaporator coil on all models.

The tiny drain hole in the low-spot of evaporator drip pan shown in photo. Any guess if this is a fitting attaching to a drain tube, or is it just a hole for water to run into some kind of hidden drain trough?

Evaporator heater is under the strap of gavlanized, between the two coils.

Really surprised that the evaporator fan is turned off when evaporator heater turned on....thought would want the fan on to to defrost inside of freezer compartment.

 

[Jake]

Any guess if this is a fitting attaching to a drain tube, or is it just a hole for water to run into some kind of hidden drain trough?

Its just the drain hole, that goes down through the drain pipe to your drip pan underneath the refrigerator.

Really surprised that the evaporator fan is turned off when evaporator heater turned on....thought would want the fan on to to defrost inside of freezer compartment.

That's how this model is set up to do auto defrost.

On some of the newer dual evaporator models, the refrigerator evaporator fan motor will keep running while in auto defrost.

 

[bigbuck]

Maybe a better mini manual:

 

[Curiousity]

Maybe a better mini manual:

Wow, that's alot better than faded green lines on water-soaked paper! Guess where the water came from? Defrost melt-water flowing everywhere but down the drain. Thanks!

As I can read this much better, I'm guessing each of the rectangles on the diagram (see excerpt) are supposed to represent a half of a physical electrical connector pair, right? And any idea what the "standby heater" is for??

 

[bigbuck]

I have not work on this model before but have work on something similar. The ones i work on the defrost water would run under the evaporator fan motor and freeze and stop the fan blade. The Styrofoam become saturated over the years with water causing this issue. There was no heater on the ones I work on expect the defrost heater. Sometimes it was just a clog drain.Basically a design problem that's why you see Evaporators hung Vertically now! You may try a aftermarket heater like one of these if you think the Styrofoam is the issue! And install it under the Aluminum pan so it is in direct contact with the Styrofoam.I would wire it so it is on all the time with the Evaporator Fan motor as it is a low watt heater.Here is a couple part numbers. This attachment is not for your model but what I have work on in the past.FYI sometimes this old ones are not fixable at this Age.Good luck!
SH225 Heater 15 Watts


SH226 Heater 40 Watts

 

[Curiousity]

I have not work on this model before but have work on something similar. The ones i work on the defrost water would run under the evaporator fan motor and freeze and stop the fan blade. The Styrofoam become saturated over the years with water causing this issue. There was no heater on the ones I work on expect the defrost heater. Sometimes it was just a clog drain.Basically a design problem that's why you see Evaporators hung Vertically now! You may try a aftermarket heater like one of these if you think the Styrofoam is the issue! And install it under the Aluminum pan so it is in direct contact with the Styrofoam.I would wire it so it is on all the time with the Evaporator Fan motor as it is a low watt heater.Here is a couple part numbers. This attachment is not for your model but what I have work on in the past.FYI sometimes this old ones are not fixable at this Age.Good luck!
SH225 Heater 15 Watts


SH226 Heater 40 Watts

Wow, helps alot, thanks! The unit in your attachment BMNF-18 looks like the bottom freezer equivalent to my top freezer. Some of the parts look very similar. Where did you find the attachment, and is there any chance there is a similar document for PTC22?

Attachment Figure 9 shows the evaporator being folded towards back of compartment. This suggests evaporators are attached with very soft annealed copper tubing....is soft tubing always the case or rarely the case?

Yeah, evaporators in the center (either top or bottom freezer) seems like a really bad idea in terms of defrost meltwater drain freezing. Any advantages to this arrangement? I assume all top-bottom untis have evaproators in the back for this reason, right?

 

[bigbuck]

Wow, helps alot, thanks! The unit in your attachment BMNF-18 looks like the bottom freezer equivalent to my top freezer. Some of the parts look very similar. Where did you find the attachment, and is there any chance there is a similar document for PTC22?

Attachment Figure 9 shows the evaporator being folded towards back of compartment. This suggests evaporators are attached with very soft annealed copper tubing....is soft tubing always the case or rarely the case?

Yeah, evaporators in the center (either top or bottom freezer) seems like a really bad idea in terms of defrost meltwater drain freezing. Any advantages to this arrangement? I assume all top-bottom untis have evaproators in the back for this reason, right?

Is there any chance there is a similar document for PTC22? No I don't have that.

Attachment Figure 9 shows the evaporator being folded towards back of compartment. This suggests evaporators are attached with very soft annealed copper tubing....is soft tubing always the case or rarely the case? It is soft copper tubing, but one Has to be careful.

Have tried to clear the drain with something like pouring boiling water down the drain.Or trying to snake the drain out with flexible wire.Shutting the refrigerator off for a couple days. These steamers work well: https://www.walmart.com/ip/BISSELL-...-2994W/117482122?wl13=5281&selectedSellerId=0